Fulham star Calum Chambers has spoken about playing in his new defensive midfield role and how he is eager to play football on a regular basis.
At Arsenal, there were a number of top defenders until recent injuries left the Gunners with only a bunch to pick from. However, the North London side decided to send English centre-back Calum Chambers on loan to Fulham earlier in August this season after spending the 2016-17 season on loan with Middlesbrough. Chambers signed a new four year contract with Arsenal in the summer but moved away from the Emirates after penning a new deal.
But Chambers needed to play regular football rather than remain just a squad player at Arsenal. The 24-year-old was no stranger to versatility as he made his England national team debut at right back, played centre-back for Arsenal and was deployed as a striker or winger during his early days at the Southampton academy.
Adam Bates from Sky Sports recently spent time with Chambers and interviewed the Fulham star about how he feels like a central defensive midfielder now at Craven Cottage.
Chambers went on to explain that he is just happy to play in any position to improve on his own game, ”In football sometimes things don’t work out how you want them to. It’s how you adapt and react to it. At the start of the season, I wasn’t in the team and that was a bit frustrating, so when I got the chance to play in midfield I was obviously going to take it because all I want to do is play. I’m giving it all I have got. That’s all I can do.”
The Arsenal loanee also stated the difference in playing as a centre-back and while in midfield, “The Premier League is quick anyway but to go from centre-half, where everything is in front of you, is a massive difference. You have got to be swiveling 360 all the time so that’s been the thing I have had to get used to the most, playing on the turn and having a picture in your head of what’s around you. It definitely sharpens you up and improves you.”
Fulham is currently in 19th place on the Premier League table and look likely to get relegated into the Championship. The London side takes on local rivals West Ham United on Friday night in a Premier League encounter and Chambers will hope to get better and try as hard as possible to keep Claudio Ranieri’s side in England’s top flight next term even though it will be a tough ask.
